Sunday, 16 June 2013

Emby Alexander - Dressed Undressing

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk

The music made by Phoenix resident Emby Alexander is indie but not in the usual sense (we'll ignore all the stuff about the word meaning "independent" and so on and concentrate on what people perceive it to sound like). On this title-track from his new EP which is released this week he takes what could be an "indie" song and embellishes it in a different way to many others. We're used to studio sheen airbrushing the attractive features away into something less human that just simply doesn't resonate; we're used to bands welding on a string section to try and grab a few passing Arcade Fire fans, and the same goes for harmonies and Fleet Foxes fans.

Indiepop has for a long while used a wide variety of instruments, which is why so many bands of that ilk have seven or eight members, but it's usually kept twee and lo-fi. 'Dressed Undressing' doesn't do any of that. The production is clean enough for a tidy song but doesn't forget to leave the emotion in. Voices and strings are used, but sparingly and not trying to emulate anyone. There is a baroque feel, but not much like Arcade Fire and the gang of instruments are used to enhance a song that has no desire to remain DIY sounding and be released on a limited edition cassette run of 50 copies. This is enhanced indie music that doesn't attempt to be anyone else, but is familiar enough for any fan of decent music to be comfortable with.